Trion Hit By Massive Layoffs

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Defiance team reportedly hit the hardest.

By Andrew Goldfarb

Trion Worlds has been hit by layoffs. IGN sources suggest that well over half the company has been let go, with some suggesting numbers as high as 80%. (Update: Trion tells us these numbers are "exaggerated," and we've reached out for more information regarding the extent of the layoffs.)

The San Diego studio -- where development of MMO Defiance took place -- is said to have been hit the hardest. A source suggests that employees are being escorted out of the building and that senior leaders from various Trion teams may not receive severance due to "undelivered services." (Update: A Trion representative calls both of these claims "100% false.") Another source tells us the layoffs were at all studios, "mostly Defiance support staff and dev staff" and that "team members and team leads for teams responsible for multiple projects, not just Defiance specific, have been laid off." In other words, "teams that provide game generic responsibilities and services have been let go."

A Trion representative confirmed the layoffs and provided the following statement to IGN:

"To best position Trion in a rapidly changing industry, we have reorganized our teams and are expanding our free to play offering. With Defiance, we delivered a great game that more than one million gamers registered to play and continue to enjoy. As we progress from launch to ongoing development of the game, we are adjusting our staffing levels to deliver new content and improved features. RIFT, and our other titles in development, were unaffected by these changes. We are very much looking forward to the free to play release of RIFT and are excited by the other new titles currently in development."